1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supporting structure of a window glass of a vehicle. Preferably, the present invention relates to a supporting structure of a window glass of a vehicle that utilizes window runners, which are fixed to the window glass and engage with a guide rail so that the sliding movement of the window glass along a guide rail is allowed.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Conventionally, various types of operation methods of a window glass of a vehicle that enables the window glass to move smoothly in the open-and-shut directions of a window of a vehicle, has been known. As an example of these types of operation methods, the method, in which the rise-and-lower of the window glass of a vehicle is performed by utilizing a channel so that the window glass moves along the channel, can be cited.
In this method, a window track, which is a U-like shaped member in sectional viewing, is used as the channel. This window track is equipped with a glass run channel made of rubber. Thus, the window glass slides along the glass run channel when the rise-and-lower of the window glass is performed.
In the conventional channel adopting the glass run channel made of rubber, the sliding movement of the window glass may be disturbed due to a deformation of a rubber, a friction between the window glass and the glass run channel, or a manufacturing error.
In the conventional channel adopting the glass run channel made of rubber, additionally, since the provision of the glass run channel is clearly visible from an outside of a vehicle, the appearance (design) of the vehicle may be spoiled. Furthermore, since a rubber is relatively expensive, the adoption of a rubber as a glass run channel may require excess manufacturing cost.
Under these kinds of environments, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication S58-16421 has been discovered. In this apparatus, the sliding movement of the window glass is performed while moving a joint, which is screwed to a window glass, in the channel.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing the condition that the joint 101 is fixed to the window glass 100 by screw 102.
As shown in FIG. 6, the joint 101 is provided on the vehicle's cabin side surface 103 of the window glass 100. This joint 101 and the window glass 100 are firmly connected by the screw 102, which is screwed to the window glass 100 from the outside surface 104. Here, a head 105 of the screw 102 is exposed to the outside surface 104 and protrudes from the outside surface 104 of the window glass 100.
In the conventional apparatus disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication S58-16421, since the head 105 of the screw 102 is exposed on the outside surface 104 of the window glass 100, a wind-roar due to the head 105 of the screw 102 has arisen. In other words, since air flow (shown by arrow A) is disturbed by the head 105 of the screw 102 and turbulence is caused, this causes a wind-roar and noise.
In the conventional apparatus, additionally, the head 105 of the screw 102 is visible from an outside of the vehicle. Thus, the appearance of a vehicle becomes unattractive.
Therefore, there has been desired a supporting structure of a window glass of a vehicle, that does not cause a wind-roar, and that improves the appearance of the vehicle by making the outside surface of the window glass flush with the vehicle body.